Fans of grounded, gritty fantasy RPGs might want to keep an eye on Fatekeeper, an upcoming first-person role-playing game fueled primarily by melee combat and spells. Its reveal clearly caught the eye of plenty of you, because the announcement trailer did a million views on IGN's YouTube channel (and you can watch it below if you missed it). But today's new video – which you can watch above – is the star of the day, as it's not only Fatekeeper's first official gameplay trailer, but it doesn't skimp on substance, serving up eight minutes of action.We talked to the team at developer Paraglacial about their promising new title to learn a bit more in the wake of this gameplay reveal, including their inspirations, plans for a console release, whether or not they consider it a soulslike, and more!Q: What are your inspirations for Fatekeeper? Are there any Hexen fans on the team? I definitely get some vibes from that classic, both tonally and in terms of the first-person melee combat. Paraglacial: We have a lot of respect for Hexen and the way it blended spellcasting with first-person action. That said, Fatekeeper is a different experience, it’s a full-fledged first-person RPG. While we also put players in a first-person perspective with magic and combat, our focus is on character progression, tactical choices, and exploration rather than a pure action-first shooter approach.Q: Would you consider Fatekeeper to be a soulslike? The enemy encounters definitely seem that way. I'm not sure I've seen a first-person soulslike, so it'd be pretty cool if that's what you're going for! Paraglacial: Some players might see hints of a Soulslike in Fatekeeper’s combat — for example, the importance of timing and reading your enemies. While this serves as a base for our engagements, the combat as a whole is very different. It is designed to feel impactful, responsive, and flexible, letting players experiment with builds and approaches. The combat is generally designed to be challenging and meaningful while not overly punishing in regard to timing and patterns.Q: Are you ready to talk more about your story yet? You mention on your Steam page that Fatekeeper "follows a focused narrative path," so I'd love to hear more about the story. Paraglacial: Of course! Here is a brief summary of the game’s setting, without going too much into detail when it comes to the overall, deeper lore: Eons ago, a faction of a culture rebelled against their tyrannical overlord and vanished into the planet’s deep crust, building a thriving technocratic society in isolation. Millennia later, natural tunnels reopened to the surface, and the clash between pragmatic progress and newly embraced faiths erupted into open conflict. When their ancient kin returned with vengeance, war consumed the lands, claiming the life of the Druid who once watched over the region.You are their successor, sent to oversee the boreal archipelago of Solace. As a Druid — part of an ancient order forged to enforce balance across civilizations through decisive, often ruthless intervention — your mission is to navigate the war-torn lands, uncover the truth behind the conflict, and restore order to a world left fractured by rebellion and war.Q: Fatekeeper is looking gorgeous, visually speaking. Is it Unreal Engine 5? Or what tech are you using? Paraglacial: We are using the latest iteration of Unreal Engine 5. We started the project back in 2021, when Unreal 5 was still in a Preview/Early Access phase, and our goal was to fully utilize its capabilities.Q: The gameplay reveal video shows that there's a skill tree. Can players lean more heavily into spells if they prefer to have a bit more range than what melee combat allows? Paraglacial: Player progression in Fatekeeper is defined by a deep, flexible skill tree that supports wildly different playstyles. While every character begins with access to both magic and melee combat, the paths you choose can transform you into anything from a hulking, hammer-wielding brute to a cunning alchemist, a raging pyromancer, or something entirely your own. "While every character begins with access to both magic and melee combat, the paths you choose can transform you into anything from a hulking, hammer-wielding brute to a cunning alchemist, a raging pyromancer, or something entirely your own."The system is built to reward creativity and discovery — letting players mix disciplines, bend rules, expand their available combat moves, and craft unique identities that feel powerful and personal.Q: Who's the rat at the beginning of the gameplay video? Paraglacial: This will remain a secret for now! :D Some reveals will have to be saved for later.Q: The endcard only mentions Steam. Any plans for a console release? Paraglacial: Yep! Consoles are definitely part of the plan. As we’ve mentioned before, we’re aiming to launch Fatekeeper in Steam Early Access in 2026 — and once the EA run is wrapped up and the full game is ready, we’ll be bringing it to consoles too.Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.